Phillips & Co. Building
Weast Music Building
| Dates: | c.1908/c.1975/2004 |
| Location: | 609-611 Main Street, Lafayette, Indiana |
The building at 609-611 Main, often referred to as the “Weast Music Building,” was built about 1908. It originally had a mansard roof with two gabled dormers symmetrically placed near each side of the building. The mansard roof was clad in diamond-shaped metal or slate shingles with rounded trim at the corners. Between the dormers there was a glass wall or skylight. This was actually a very large metal-framed window which provided northern light for the Phillips & Co. photographic studio. At the top of the mansard roof was a plain frieze and crown molding, topped with a parapet wall.
The building’s original address was 609-611-613 (or 615) Main . Phillips & Co. moved into 609 Main about 1908, with their studio occupying the entire second floor in addition to the western storefront. The building seems to have been built by or for Phillips, with many similarities to his 1895 remodeling of the adjacent Curtis Block. 611-615 was occupied by the Claypool-Miller Music Co. from about 1919-1925.
One story commercial buildings with mansard roofs are extremely uncommon in Lafayette, this being only one surviving out of two such buildings known to have existed. In the 1970s the building was remodeled with an oversized rough wood shingle mansard roof. The dormers were torn off in this remodeling and the building's historic appearance was completely hidden by the enormous roof.
The building is currently being renovated to recall its historic appearance based on the drawing below. New dormers have been added and the large skylight is being replaced. The storefronts have been opened back up and tin ceilings revealed above 1970s drop ceilings. The renovation is a great improvement to this block, which has suffered some of the worst demolition and alterations along Main Street. It coincides with the renovation of the long-neglected Lafayette Theatre across the street.
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| Conjectural drawing of 609-611 Main Street, 6-2003 | 5-11-05 The renovation nears completion |
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| The new window recalls the original skylight of the Phillips studio and new dormers replace those lost long ago | |
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| 12-2002 View of the building prior to renovation: it was nothing but a huge ugly wood shingle roof | 1-6-05 New storefronts under construction |
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| 1-6-05 The facade takes shape | 10-9-04 Building under renovation |
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| Tin ceilings with outline of original vestibule (611 Main) | Tin ceilings uncovered (609 Main) |